Chapter Text
There are rare moments in life human beings find their internal realities intersect perfectly with the external one we all live in. Frequently written off as a product of mere coincidence or played dramatically at the hands of some fate. Equally compelling as it is disconcerting. These are the moments that leave little markers on the psyche. these are the moments where we will look back and ask ourselves if we actually witnessed what we think we did. and often, these moments are turning points; the next chapter of a long dormant narrative itching to usher the story forward.
If Jungkook was honest with himself, it had probably been a week since he’d last showered properly. He had tried to shower a couple of times, but in both instances the soothing pressure of the water became an easy accomplice with the bone deep fatigue festering in his body. His eyes would suddenly feel far too heavy and his thoughts collapsed in on one another until he was left in a hazy limbo, caught between sleep and alertness. He gave himself a pat on the back for not passing out completely though, that would have been a nightmare to handle by himself.
If Jungkook was just a little more honest with himself, it had also probably been a few weeks since he’d made contact with anyone in the outside world. He glances down at his phone, the soft blue flash warning of impending notifications, and sighs. He would get infinite shit for not having contacted anyone at all, from Jimin especially. He really should sit down like a decent human being and text him back. But he won’t. Not yet anyway. He still has a few more pages to finish mending with detail strokes. He sighs again, carding ink-smudged hands through his mess of hair.
“40 pages down, 8 to go.”
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The smell of coffee roasting is far too prominent in the tight quarters of Jimin’s favorite cafe. Jungkook wrinkles his nose in distaste. If he hadn’t felt so guilty for leaving Jimin hanging the past few weeks, he wouldn’t be caught dead within a 7 block radius of this overrated coffee joint. He liked coffee (with the number of all-nighters he pulls on a regular basis a guy’s got to), but even he knew a place smelling this potently meant over-roasted beans. A real latte-boner killer if you will. Jimin either didn’t have the same sense of smell, or he had never had real, quality coffee because he came here every Saturday morning. Either way, Jungkook couldn’t help rolling his eyes as he watched Jimin beam at him over a very dull looking cappuccino.
“Kookie, it’s been ages.” Jimin scolds, fingers tapping away on the tabletop beside his mug.
“Mhmm. I mean, we haven’t hung out in so long you forgot what quality coffee is supposed to taste like.” Jungkook snickers. Jimin sticks out his tongue, making as if to flip him off, before hastily putting his hands back around his coffee catching sight of the family eating at the table behind them.
“I am completely within my rights as a human being to like as shitty of coffee as I want, okay? I don’t complain when you drag me out for those equally shitty fried taco things you love. Especially when we both know that the food cart RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER has much better things to offer.” Jimin takes an obnoxiously loud slurp of his coffee to accentuate his point, but yelps a little as the drink burns his tongue. Jungkook laughs, offering a napkin as truce so Jimin can wipe at the coffee dribbling down his chin.
“True enough. You still don’t know what you’re missing when I get my Lavender Latte from that little place below the studio, though. Just sayin’.” Jungkook smiles, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand as the conversation flow finally begins to pick up between the two of them. He missed this, he realizes. He could lose himself for days in one of his pieces, immersed in the smell of paints and fixative, but that sense of peace within himself was a far cry from being enjoyable. Jimin kept him grounded.
“You’re working on something big again, aren’t you? That’s why you went off the grid for so long, right?” Jimin raises an eyebrow, content to wait for Jungkook’s answer (Jimin had called it, ‘Delinquent behavior as of late’). Jungkook steals a bite of the neglected bagel sitting in front of him before speaking.
“Nah, I just spent the time desecrating the deep, pillowy tresses of my secret lovers’ mattress.” Jimin snorts as Jungkook takes another bite while he continues speaking.
“Yes, I’ve been working on something new. And yes, it is quite metaphorically big. Some may even venture to call it ambitious.” Jungkook can’t help the bit of excitement that seeps into his voice.
“Ambitious? Damn. What the hell is so big you’d get lost in it for weeks and not even let me over to see?” The words normally would hold more bite, but Jimin is speaking so enthusiastically Jungkook figures he’s safe from Jimin's reprimands about his lack of social graces.
“Yeah, well, that wasn’t the ideal. I mean I'm not proud of the kind of personal hygiene crisis I experienced for a while there, but it was worth it.” Jungkook pauses, taking in a deep breath as Jimin waits patiently for his answer, “I may have been commissioned to illustrate a new graphic novel.” He finishes in one breath and is met with shocked silence. Jimin stares blankly back at him, the information compartmentalizing.
“OH.” Jungkook laughs as Jimin’s eyes widen comically and his face twists back into a blinding smile.
“THAT’S SO GREAT, YOU TALENTED COFFEE SNOB!” Jimin shouts, jumping up from his seat to reach out and ruthlessly ruffle the younger’s hair. Jungkook rolls his eyes once more (it’s a bad habit, he knows) and sets about answering Jimin’s onslaught of questions. After a solid 45 minute run down of Jungkook’s first experience illustrating for hire, he looks down at his watch and realizes he’s cutting it a little too close for comfort. A dude’s gotta leave a decent first impression and being late to turn in this manuscript really isn’t the kind of behavior Jungkook wants to be remembered by.
“Sorry, hyung. I know we haven’t hung out in ages,” Jungkook laments, mimicking Jimin's greeting from earlier,“but I really do have to get going. I have a meeting with the editor and author to discuss the character designs for the manuscript… So…” he trails off, guiltily picking at the crumbs on the table between them.
“Ah, say no more, my dearest Jungkookie.” Jimin makes a shooing motion towards the door, “Go! Become famous in the nerd world for me, and don’t forget to send postcards!”
Jungkook flicks his forehead, “Postcards, my ass. Why would I ever pretend to miss you that much?” Jungkook pulls a face in mock disgust, eliciting a punch to his very sore arm. He bids farewell to Jimin on the sidewalk outside, a fond Later punk! followed immediately by a sneaky peck on the cheek that Jungkook deftly dodges (much to Jimin’s disappointment) before making his way to the subway station. He can feel the flutter of nerves in his stomach in the absence of Jimin’s chatter. He pulls out the manila envelope holding his preliminary designs. He hugs it to his chest, anxiety already making him feel tense.
“You got this, Kook. You got this.” He takes a deep breath, willing the stress to disappear. He opens his eyes, not conscious of having closed them in the first place, and is met with a sight that shocks him into silence.
Standing before him, gripping the overhead rail with one hand and digging through a bag with the other, is a man that looks startlingly familiar. His hair is a shock of lavender, his skin delicately sun kissed, and dark eyes topped by eyelashes so long Jungkook is pretty sure a small family could shelter beneath them if it rained. Jungkook is dumbfounded. This cannot be real, he balks. I’m hallucinating, this is a dream, I tripped and fell and probably have a crazy concussion and Jimin is probably crying. Jungkook pinches the skin of his forearm in a last attempt to prove this a delusion, but there is no waking up after the shock of pain. Jungkook just stares.
Standing before him on a subway crowded with strangers is a face that eerily matches a certain design for a graphic novel protagonist Jungkook happens to be on his way to have evaluated. But attached to a very real, very handsome body in the flesh. And now that face is staring right back at him, eyebrows furrowed. Jungkook swallows.
This cannot be real.